Stbhtged musical instrument



Sept. 13, c BQNEW|TZ STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed July 1, 1931Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 13, 1 932. v Q BONEWlTz 1,876,558

STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed July 1, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 5#QATTORNEY Patented Sept. 13, 1932 UNITED STATES CLARENCE BONEWITZ, OFDAYTON, OHIO STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Application filed July 1, 1931.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in stringedmusical instruments.

It is one of the principal objects of my invention to employ bafiiestoincrease the tonal quality and volume of a'musical instrument such asa violin.

Another object of my invention is to provide a unique construction tofacilitate the assembling of the instrument.

Itis another object of my invention to provide sound membersof varyingshapes that are so positioned in relation to the instrument stringswithin the case as to improve their tonal quality.

It is another object of my invention to provide a unique chin restsupport that does not interfere with the resonant properties of thecase.

.,.. Other important and incidental objectswill be brought out in thefollowing specification and particularly set forth in the subjoinedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 a is a complete view of a musicalinstrument,

in this instance a violin, embodying my improvements. Figure 2 is asectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1, through the chin rest.Figure 3 is a sectional view taken'throughthe body, showing the supportand mounting for the tail piece. Figure 4 is a transverse sectional Viewtaken through the button portion ofthe neck, showing the dove-tailconnection with the body. Figure 5 5 isa sectional view taken throughthe button portion of the neck, showing .theinclined face of said buttonportion. Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through thecase on the line 66 of Figure 1. Figure 7 is a sectional view takenthrough the body on the line 77 of Figure 6. And Figure 8 is atransverse sectional view taken through the body on the line 8--8 ofFigure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the num- 1 eral 1 designates aconventionalstringed instrument such as a violin, and having a body 2 toone end of which is attached the neck 3. The latter'terminates at itsouter end in a scroll 4 and a peg box 5 in which are mounted pegs6 inthe customary manner. Mounted on Serial No. 548,061.

the neck 3 is a finger board 7 that extends from the peg box over thebody to the waist 8'.

Secured to the pegs 6, and extending over the finger board 7 and aconventional bridge piece 9, are strings 10 that terminate at the usualtail piece 11. (See Figures 1 and 6.)

The body 1 consists of a back 12 which is slightly conveXed and has atits periphery a bead 13. Glued to the inner face of the back, andperpendicular thereto, is a spacer 14 6o shaped to the same profile asthe back and positioned near its periphery. (See Figures 6 and 8.) Gluedto the inner face of the back 12 and arranged in parallelism with thestrings 10, are ribs 15,15 having out in their 6.? bottom faces belowthe bridge 9, recesses 16.

Alsoglued to the top face of the spacer 14 andribs 15, 15 is a bafile 17having sound holes 17 It is evident that since the center portionof theback 12 is not supported on the ribs, being under'their recesses 16, itis more free to vibrate.

Secured to the top face of the bafile 17 is another spacer 18 having thesame profile as the spacer 14. Also secured within the walls 75 of thespacers 14 and 18, and at each end of the ribs 15, 15, are quadrantshaped glue blocks 19 that extend through the baffle 17 and have theirupper faces substantially in the plane of the top face of the spacer 18.80 (See Figures 8, 4, 5 and 6.)

Glued. to the top face of the spacer 18 and the glue blocks 19, 19 isanother baflie 20 of the same size and contour as the back 12 and alsoprovided with ahead 21 turned opposite to the bead 13, and with soundholes 21*.

To further reinforce the boc y 1, I have surrounded the spacers 14 and18, and the baffle- 17 with an outer wall 22 that is glued to thespacers andthebaflie. (See Figures 2, 3, 4, 6 and'S.)

Secured to the top face of the baffle 20 between the sound holes 21,above the ribs 15, 15, are two ribs 28 and 24. The rib 23BXt-(511C1Ssubstantially the full length of the baffle 20 to which it is glued inposition below the E string. The center portion of the rib 23 isprovided with a narrow upwardly projecting lug 25 below the bridge 9.

The rib 24, which is of the same length as 100 battles and spacers therib 23, is also glued to the battle 20 below the G string. This rib hasa broad upwardly projecting lug 26 whose top face is in the same planeas the top of the lug 25. (See Figures 6, 7 and 8.)

Secured perpendicular to the face of the balile 20 is another spacer 27positioned above the spacer l8. Glued to the outer edge Of the spacer 18is the violin belly 28, which is slightly convexed at its center whereit is also glued to the lugs and 26 of the ribs 23 and 24.

The violin belly 28 is also provided with sound holes 29 29 similar tothe sound holes 21 Between the battle 20 and the baiile 17 is a.soundpost 29 glued in position below the bridge 9.

It is thus seen that I have provided a body or sound box of unusuallyrigid construction, yet possessing superior sound properties. The ribs,bafilles and glue blocks form a strong webbing to take the strain oil ofthe belly and the back, while the ribs transmit the vibrations of thebaliles to said belly and back.

The button portion 30 of the neck 3 i shown in Figure 4, is clove-tailedinto one of the glue blocks 19. The end 31 of this neck button portionis beveled to provide a tight wedge lit in a clove-tailed slot 32 in theglue block 19, this slot being cut through the belly, and the outer wallafter the case is assembled.

The connection between the button portion 30 of the neck, and the bodyor resonance box 2 through the glue blocks 19, 19, so strength- ;1 ensthis connection that the tension exerted by the strings will not distortthe box.

The lower end of the resonance box 2 is provided with a tail-piece block33 secured to the top of the bafie 20, outside the wall of the spacer27, in such a manner as to raise the tail piece cords above the belly28. The inner ends of these cords pass around a tail pin 35 whichprojects through the wall 22 into the outer glue block 19. Thisclearance between the tail piece and the belly greatly improves thetonal qualities of the instrument. Figure As shown in Figure 2, I haveprovided an other block 36, similar to the block 33, to support aconventional chin rest 37. The latter is rigidly supported by a U clamp38 whose lower end engages the bead 13 surrounding the back 12 and whoseother end is received by holes 39 in the chin rest. The use of thisblock 36 relieves the belly of the instrument of the varying pressureswhich would otherwise be exerted upon it through the chin rest todistort the case and dampen the tone vi- (See - brations.

Having described my invention, I claim: 1. In a stringed musicalinstrument, a resonance box having a belly and a back, separate spacessubstantially perpendicular to said back at the ends of the box, andspaced battles projecting between the spacers within the box.

2. In a stringed musical instrument, a resonance box having a belly anda back, separate spacers substantially perpendicular to said back at theends of the box, spaced bafiles projecting between the spacers withinthe box, and ribs for transmitting the vibrations of the bafiies to thebelly and the back.

3. In a stringed musical instrument, a resonance box having a belly anda back, separate spacers substantially perpendicular to said back at theends of the box, a top baffle and a lower ballle, spaced from eachother, projecting between said spacers within the box, ribs secured tothe back below the lower baii'le, and ribs secured to the top baille between it and the belly for the purpose specified.

4. In a musical instrument, a resonance box having a back, a belly, andstrings over the latter, separate spacers substantially perpendicular tosaid back at the ends of the box, a top balile and a lower bafile,spaced from each other, projecting between said spacers within the box,and upper and lower ribs secured to the back and to the top bafile inparallelism with said strings, the lower ribs formed with recesses underwhich the middle portion of said back passes without contacting withsaid ribs.

5. In a musical instrument, a resonance box having a back, a belly, andstrings over the latter, separate spacers substantially perpendicular tosaid back at the ends of the box, a battle projecting between thespacers within the box, ribs on said bafile substantially parallel withsaid strings, and lugs on the ribs contacting at their upper ends withthe belly of the instrument.

6. In a stringed instrument a resonance box having a belly and a back,separate spacers substantially perpendicular to said back at the ends ofthe box, glue blocks secured to said spacers, and a strain-receivingframe within the box between the glue blocks.

7. In a stringed musical instrument, a resonance box having a belly anda back, separate spacers substantially perpendicular to said back at theends of the box, glue blocks secured to said spacers, a strain receivingframe between the glue blocks, a neck :for the instrument, and a buttonon said neck secured to the glue block at the neck portion of the box.

8. In a stringed musical instrument, a resonance box having a belly anda back, separate spacers substantially perpendicular to said back at theends of the box, quadrant shaped glue blocks secured to said spacers, astrain receiving frame between the glue blocks, a neck for theinstrument, the glue block at the neck portion of the instrument formedwith a dove-tailed slot, and a button on said neck having a beveled endfor a wedge tight fit in said dove-tailed slot.

9. A stringed musical instrument body, having a belly and a back, and aside wall perpendicular to the back, between the latter and the belly, aledge projecting horizontally outward from the rear portion of saidwall, and a block on said ledge outside of the body.

10. In a stringed musical instrument, a resonance box having a belly anda back, separate spacers substantially perpendicular to said back at theends of the box, a pair of spaced bafi'les projecting between thespacers within the box, said bafiles being formed with sound holes, anda sound-post interposed between said baflies in a plane substantiallyperpendicular to them.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of June,1931.

CLARENCE BONEWITZ.

